Overshoe



S. KOS

OVERSHOE June 6, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 26, 1960 A ttorneysJune 6, 1961 s. Kos 2,986,823

` OVERSHOE v Filed Jan. 26, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inoenzor 57345714 KOSA ttorne y5 2,986,823 OVERSHOE Stasia Kos, 40 E. 64th St., New York,N.Y. Filed Jan. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 4,631 Claims. (Cl. 36-7.1)

This invention relates to footwear and particularly to articles designedto be worn over the shoe so as to afford protection therefor.

A desideratum in the -footwear trade is to provide women with anovershoe which is suiiiciently light in weight and flexible in characteras to be capable of being carried in a hand bag. A problem which hasbeset potential manufacturers of such an overshoe is that the shoe,which is made of such light and ilexible material, is easily torn anddamaged in use particularly, as it may be imagined, in the heel section.Being practically a disposable item consumed in one or two uses, it mustbe manufactured cheaply enough to be sold at a low price.Standardization is, of course, recognized as a significant factorrelating to the diminishment of manufacturing cost. It is, therefore,apparent that such a shoe could be cheaply produced if it could be madein one size and yet could be employed as a shoe protector for nearly allsizes and shapes of womens shoes. The overshoe which is made accordingto applicants invention may be so employed.

To this end, the overshoe is made of a light, plastic material having anelastic stitching about the rim of its opening. No cutting andconsequent sealing of the material is required to `form the nishedarticle which further contributes to economy of manufacture. The sole ofthe overshoe is fiat and unpleated, with no demarcation -for the heel.The back and vamp portions are fashioned with pleats or folds of theexcess material which is inevitably generated as the top is formed, nocutting of the material being desired or needed. rThe pleats are capableof rolling in and out and thereby shortening and lengthening so that theovershoe can accommodate to various shoe shapes and sizes. rlhe pleatedvamp section of the overshoe is foreshortened to accommodate the largershoe in order that more material may be allotted to the sole sectionwhile the extent Vof the pleated back section of the overshoe isgoverned generally by the size of the womans shoe heel which isprotected by the overshoe. The side and vamp portions of the overshoeare somewhat puckered to provide additional extensibility.

One object of the invention is to provide an overshoe which isespecially adapted to accommodate various shapes and sizes of shoe andheights of heel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an overshoe which iseconomical to manufacture, neatv in appearance and light in weight.

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be appreciated onreading the followingdetailed description of one embodiment which istaken in conjunction FIG. 7 is 4fragmentary View on enlarged scaleshowing the vamp pleats shortened for a relatively long shoe; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view on enlarged scale showiilg the vamp pleatslengthened for a relatively short s oe.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is provided a sheet of flexible, light weightplastic material 10 such as polyethylene, which is generally rounded atthe edge of its vamp section 11 and back or heel section 12..Intermediate the vamp and heel sections is disposed a sole section 13.It is to be noted that neither the heel, the vamp nor the sole sectionsare precisely defined areas. Rather the dimensions of the sole section,for example, will depend on the dimension of the two other sections,particularly the vamp section, which in turn is governed by the size ofthe shoe which the nis-hed product is required to accommodate.v

Except for the button down or strap portion 11a of the vamp section,both the vamp and heel sections are pleated with each pleat beingformed, as shown in FIG. 8, by folding the material back on itself onfold line a and then folding again on lines b which is normally locatedin a position on the vamp and back section that will terminate in thefoot opening 14 of the overshoe at the nadir of notch 1S. As explainedbelow, however, the lines b, while located as shown in FIG. 6, when theovershoe is in fully relaxed condition, will change their angulardisposition relative to the fold lines b when the article is stretchedover a shoe the extent of this change being dependent on the degree ofstretching.

As shown in FIG. 7 andpFIG. 8, each pleat is provided with a toprelatively straight edge portion 16 followed by the notched portion 15,the two portions together defining the depth of the pleat at the top.This depth is relatively fixed being assured by sewing, as by-crochet,through the top portion 16 by means of an elastic thread 17 which alsoconnects the top sewn portions 16. The material is sewn lwhile thethread is extended which on relaxing causes it to form puckers 18 atregularly spaced intervals between the top portions 16. This puckeringnaturally affords the opening 14 of the nished article the capability ofbeing extended for fitting over a Vlarger shoe.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 the elastic thread y17 terminates atpoints cv and d on the vamp at which points there are attached anelastic strap 20 and button 21, respectively. There are no pleats in theabove described sense formed in the material between the points c and d.However, there will be a fold in the material formed on the fold line 22as a result of sewing the elastic strap to two layers of material for asmall distance the overshoe.

over a shoe which is larger in length and width than from the point cand there will also be a `fold back line 23 terminating at point c as aconsequence of the attachment of the free end of the elastic strap 20 tothe button 21.

.As shown by comparison of the shoe illustrated in FIG. 2 with thewiderV shoe illustrated in FIG. 5, the fold lines 22 and 23 in the,latter figure have been displaced slightly which is permitted by theelongation of the elastic thread 17 sewnin the pleated and side wallsections of Additionally, the button 2.1 at point d is moved fartherfrom the longitudinal center line of the overshoe due to the stretchingof the unsewn portion of the elastic strap 20. yLess puckering .in thepleated material across theV vamp of the overshoe illustrated in FIG. 5

-isalso evident. Accordingly, the overshoes ability to accommodate awider shoe is demonstrated. p l

Comparison of the overshoe disclosed in FIG. 2 with the'longer overshoeshown in FIG. 4 reveals the fact that the opening 14 in the latter hasbeen elongated ex- `posing a-portion of the shoe instep. Material in thetoe of the shorter overshoe which composed the pleats of the vampbecomes transferred to the sole in the toe of the larger overshoe. Thesole of the overshoe is plain and unpleated which must mean that thepleatsin the vamp section of the larger overshoe have beenforeshortened. Again noting FIGS. 7 and 8, it is apparent that thepleats are generally triangular in shape with sides a and b composingthe long sides of the triangle and the side composed of the notchedportion and the straight edge portion I16 constituting its base.Although side a is relatively iixed in position, side b can be displacedas a consequence o f stretching the overshoe in the longitudinaldirection. This displacement occurs as material is rolled out of thepleat when tension is placed on wall material extending therefrom as theovershoe accommodates to the larger shoe. As a result, the pleat becomesnarrower and more abbreviated in length. This is demonstrated in FIG. 7which on comparison with FIG. 8 discloses a pleat in the overshoe whichis under longitudinal tension. The puckering eiect is minimal and thepleat is relatively short as comparedrwith the same features of thematerial illustrated in FIG. 8.

It will be noticed that the pleats in the vamp section of the overshoe,for example, are generally biased oif the longitudinal center axis ofthe overshoe and hence are enabled to contribute material in both thetransverse and longitudinal directions as they become shorter andnarrower for the longer and wider shoe. The top of each pleat issubstantially demobilized by sewing the elastic thread through the threelayers of material adjacent the straight portion 16 and as a result moreof the displacement of side b occurs near the bottom of the pleat thanthe top which is brought to facilitate the capacity of the pleat tocontribute to the desired elongation and widening of the overshoe.

The same adjustability in the overall length of the pleats `is requiredin the heel or back section 12 of the overshoe so that it canaccommodate itself automatically to shoe heels of different height. Asshown in FIG. 3 the pleats in the overshoe which is fitted over a highheel shoe are longer than the pleats in the same section of the overshoeon a low heel shoe. This is due to the design of the two types of womensshoes. The back of the lower heel being disposed farther from the toe ofthe shoe than is the back of the higher heel, more longitudinal tensionis exerted by the lower heel on the overshoe and, as a consequence, thepleats are foreshortened.

It is thus seen that the overshoe whichl is herein described isfunctionally endowed to self accommodate t'o various shoe shapes andsizes, this desideratum being afforded as an immediate and logicalconsequence of its design features. These features severally contributeto the desired result and as such constitute a basis for invention. Itis recognized that other features of design may be incorporated withoutmaterially altering the basic concept of the invention the scope ofwhich is defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is: l

l. An overshoe fabricated of uncut, exible and virtually inelasticmaterial, said overshoe having an extensible foot opening, a heelsection, a vamp section and a sole section intermediate said heel andvamp sections, said vamp section having separated regions comprising aplurality of connected pleats and a fold region intermediate the pleatedregions, each of the pleats in the separated regions of the vamp sectionhaving two lateral folds converging in the direction of said solesection with only one of said folds being stitched near the top thereofto the material connecting said pleat to its adjoining pleat therebyfreeing the other'fold to be positionally altered relative to thefirst-mentioned fold when the overshoev is dimensionally modified, saidvamp section having an elastic strap and button attached respectively toits separated, pleated regions and adapted for resiliently constrainingthe material in the pleated and intermediate regions of the vampsection.

2. An overshoe fabricated of uncut, flexible and virtually inelasticmaterial, said overshoe having an extensible foot opening, a heelsection, a vamp section and a sole section intermediate said heel andvamp sections, said vamp section having separated regions comprising aplurality of connected pleats and a fold region intermediate the pleatedregions, each of the pleats in the separated regions of the vamp sectionhaving two lateral folds converging in the direction of said solesection with only one of said folds being stitched near the top thereofto the material connecting said pleat to its adjoining pleat therebyfreeing the other fold to be positionally altered relative to thefirst-mentioned fold when the overshoe is dimensionally modified, thetop of said other fold being notched to facilitate the stitching of saidiirst-mentioned fold while leaving the notched fold unstitched, saidvamp section having an elastic strap and button attached respectively toits separated, pleated regions and adapted for resiliently constrainingthe material in the pleated and intermediate regions of the vampsection.

3. An overshoe fabricated of uncut, eXible and virtually inelasticmaterial, said overshoe having an extensible foot opening, a pleatedheel section, a vamp section and a sole section intermediate said heeland vamp sections, said vamp section having separated regions comprisinga plurality of connected pleats and a fold region intermediate thepleated regions, each of the pleats in the pleated heel section and theseparated regions of the vamp section having two lateral foldsconverging in the direction of said sole section with only one of saidfolds being stitched near the top thereof to the material connectingsaid pleat to its adjoining pleat thereby freeing the other fold to bepositionally altered relative to the first-mentioned fold when theovershoe is dimensionally modified, said vamp section having an elasticstrap and button attached respectively to its separated, pleated regionsand adapted yfor resiliently constraining the material in the pleatedand intermediate regions of the vamp section.

4. An overshoe fabricated of uncut, flexible and virtually inelasticmaterial, said overshoe having anV extensible foot opening, a pleatedheel section, a vamp section and a sole section intermediate said heeland vamp sections, said vamp section having separated regionscornprising a plurality of connected pleats and a fold regionintermediate the pleated regions, each of the pleats in the pleated heelsection and the separated regions of the vamp section having two lateralfolds converging in the direction of said sole section with only one ofsaid folds being stitched near the top thereof to the materialconnecting said pleat to its adjoining pleat thereby freeing the otherVfold to be positionally altered relative to the first-mentioned foldwhen the overshoe is dimensionally modified, the top of said other foldbeing notched to facilitate the stitching of said first-mentioned foldwhile leaving the notched fold unstitched, said vamp section having anelastic strap and button attached respectively to its separated, pleatedregions and adapted for resiliently constraining the material in thepleated and intermediate regions of the Vamp section.

5. An overshoe fabricated of uncut, exible and virtually inelasticmaterial, said overshoe having an extensible foot opening, a pleatedheel section, a vamp section and a sole section intermediate said heeland vamp sections, said vamp section having separated regions comprisinga plurality of connected pleats and a fold region intermediate thepleated regions, each of the pleats in the pleated heel section and theseparated regions of the vamp section having two lateral foldsconverging in thev direction of said sole section with only one of saidfolds being stitched near the top thereof to the material connectingsaid pleat toits adioining Vpleat thereby freeing the r'other fold to bepositionally altered relative to the rst-mentioned fold when theovershoe is dimensionally modified, the top of said other fold beingnotched to facilitate the stitching of said rst-mentioned fold whileleaving the notched fold unstitched, the connecting material betweenadjacent pleats in the vamp and heel sections being puckered, said vampsection having an elastic strap and button attached respectively to itsseparated, pleated regions and adapted for resiliently'constraining thematerial in the pleated and intermediate regions of the vamp section.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS WaltersMay 20, Artz Nov. 2, Valentine et al. Mar. 5, Krevis Mar. 17, FranceFeb. 3, Teague July 31,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Feb. 26,

